well as everyone probably saw, we had a great time a Ray's this weekend, just thought I'd get the stories up here
enjoy.
great job Luke!!! Don't forget to get me some photos for my Hoots bow album!!
thanks, getting the photos loaded now
here it goes...
we arrived friday at 10:00, and Ray gave us the low down on the property and were to go.
Camp
(http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy71/longhunter95/hog%20hunt/293.jpg)we hunted all day walk and stalk in the swamps down toward the river, were the woods are very cool and dark and were Ray said the hogs would be. we didnt see and pigs, but saw plenty of other wildlife like a 5 foot gator, and a couple turks and deer.
as dark came on , we headed to the feeders to be there as they went off. at approx. 8:30, 45 min after my feeder went off, 3 hogs wandered in, all the same size, about 70lb, and all with a white flair on their faces. they fed around the feeder cautiosly, with me trying desparately to look like bark up against a tree on the edge of the clearing. they began to feed directly at me, and I knew If they didnt stop theyded soon bust me. luckily, they decided it was time to go and reversed direction to leave as I xcame to full draw. the pig I was aiming at promptly did a 180 and gave me his butt, so I lined up with his buddy and let fly, hitting him perfectly for a hard quartering away shot. they beat feet, and made a loop of about 60 yards, and I heard him crash. I marked the spot and went to get help.
10 yards from my mark...
(http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy71/longhunter95/hog%20hunt/275.jpg)allergies had my left eye puffed up like crazy :(
tackle used: 58" 48# hoots recurve, beamen mfx arrows, and eclipse 145 heads, 40 yd recovery.
everyone else saw hogs that night too, and Tim made a shot but couldnt recover her. the next day everyone hit the feeders for morning feed, and both Tim and Clair killed hogs. a great day of hunting ended with My Bro with a hog on the ground, and dad with a coon.
here's mine and my brother's hogs, with Dad in the background
(http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy71/longhunter95/hog%20hunt/284.jpg)
both looked nearly identical, they were likely littermates, but they were in different groups when we killed them.
overall score was 5 pigs, 2 70lb boars, 1 170lb boar, 1 150lb sow, and 1 170lb boar,1 racoon, 1 armadillo, and 1 copperhead (yours truly)the snake in the picture on the other thread is now deceased :archer2:
Ray has a great pathc of ground down there and a great operation, everything runs like clockwork.
we'll be back next year.....
till then
Luke
Great Job and nice pics. Thats two fine boys and one proud dad and dead hogs!! Hoot
Great job and great story Luke!! Congratulations!!
Luke, how old were you when you started hunting?
Well done!
I really have to get down there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :notworthy: :notworthy:
Way to go guys. Nice pitorial Luke.
Michael, them boys been huntin a long time . There dad has had them in the woods since they were little fellows. As for bowhunting, I think this pig was Ian's first trad kill and I know Luke shot a deer last fall with his bow. They are a pleasure to be around and I know those pigs will be the first of many. DB
I was probably 8 when I started off with a rifle, then birdhunting at 10, and bowhuntng a year and a half ago.
thanks eveyone
Luke
here's a few more pics of the flora and fauna
wild iris
(http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy71/longhunter95/hog%20hunt/P5141628.jpg)
5 foot gator
(http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy71/longhunter95/hog%20hunt/P5141630.jpg)
Way cool! Thank you for sharing your hunt with us!!
God bless,Mudd
PS: Great job dad!
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Great job all the way around Luke! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
The first evening we hunted, Klair, Allen, and myself were walking in on the road and we saw a sow with piglets. She stayed in that same area the whole weekend. Joe and the boys were walking behind us so we split up. My first hog was a boar behind one of the feeders. He was really nervous and I shot him quartering away, I thought I could not have shot him any better. When he ran off, the arrow placement looked perfect. No blood, I could not believe it. I looked for hours until I could not see anymore. The next day, I went to the spot and looked some more. I finally found my arrow and it looked good, half of it was missing. I decided to go out and stalk after that. I found pigs later that morning close to the river. It looked like the Raptor in Jurasic Park. All you could see was the river cane moving. I checked the wind and moved in on them. Circling and fighting a swirling wind, I finally started to see them one at a time. I picked a descent one out and concentrated on where Ray told me to hit them. Standing behind some river cane, the hog stopped and I heard the landshark hit with a load crack and it ran off. The rest of the pigs kept feeding, so while I was waiting, I decided to see how close I could get to the others. I was interested in a little 35lb spotted pig and wanted to get a picture. Then a sow came even with me and I decided to stand still with the wind blowing towards her. Ray told me what a good nose they had and he was right. I could predict that she would wind me and she made a noise and everyone bolted. I recovered my hog only about 20yards in the direction she ran. She did make a little loop.
That evening, I ran up on two more sets of hogs. I would stalk in and circle testing the way they react to noise and my scent. My intention was to find them and take Ean back there the next day because I was confident I could find them if they stayed in that same area. Ean connected that night though with a perfect shot on his hog. My shot was perfect shot for a deer but I just barely got the lungs.
The next day, Luke went with me and we stalked through the woods, glassing, checking the wind and we were unable to locate the hogs from the evening before. We did explore a little and found a nice copperhead and a large king snake that we caught. The whold time I hunted a small strip of land compared to the large area I had to hunt. I talked to Joe yesterday and hopefully we will all be back next year to capitalize on what we learned. Hogs are difinately fun to hunt and now I am hooked. Called Ray today and booked for next year. Tim
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper:
Some fine hawg slayin there!! Way to go guys :thumbsup:
Congrat to all!
:jumper: :jumper: :jumper: :jumper: :jumper: :jumper: :jumper:
Nicely done guys!
:thumbsup: Congrats everyone.
Way to go guys :thumbsup: :notworthy:
Great story and pictures guys.
Jack
Back up for those looking for the stories!
Makes me wish we had hogs in Washington State!!!
great story and pics luke lookin foward to seein y'all at hickory ruddy
Luke and Ian have been shooting .22's since 6yo or so but I didn't let them carry a gun and hunt till 12. They are great wingshots with their 28s, we woodcock hunt over our pointers alot and want to try it with bows! Well, I do anyway. The bowhunting thing came about thru a happy accident involving a diverse crew including Ted Nugent, John Dill and Dad who was tired of laying out money for hunting leases, gas and gear! Suffice it to say they started shooting in late 08 with my old recurves from the 70's and have gotten pretty smitten with it. They have revived my interest as well. Ian killed his hog with my Browning Nomad from 1974!!! It was the bow's first trad kill too.
Great pics and story. Congrats!
This experience at Ray's was truly wonderful, like so many things related to the trad pursuit. Ray is a well rounded man of great experience and a naturalist and an astute observer of all of the flora and fauna on his property. The hogs are like most things they might give you a break, but don't count on it. They are a very cautious animal. They won't give you a second chance like a deer will on occasion. I would reccomend this to all who are interested. One of the things I enjoyed most was the wildflowers and bird life. I was able to get a good look at a swallow-tail kite the first night and was very impressed with it's beauty. The wild swamp Iris that is above was a daily pleasure to pass by. As were the summer tanagers, buntings and warblers of all sorts. Hopefully Ian will post his story this evening. Mine is simple the hogs I encountered wanted to step on me so I got busted twice by putting myself where they wanted to be. The raccoon was an unlucky visitor after such an encounter with a couple of hogs. The hogs were both behind me at maybe ten feet, too close for me to move and shoot, too close not to smell me! C'est La Guerre! Joe
You nailed Ray good!I was very impressed with his appreciation and intimacy with all aspects and critters of Hog Heaven.He knows his stuff and he's an alright host.Glad you all enjoyed yourself and congradulations.
I dont log on here very often but Dad has been naggin me to get my hunt story posted so I figured id do it. :readit:
I saw hogs the firstnight out while hunting around a feeder as well as in a swamp bottom. it was almost last light and I saw 4 hogs get close to the clearing but they shyed away. they were led by a hog witha white face. luke killed his hog the same night and the pressure was on. I hunted all day the next day without a hog and was beginning to lose faith. i even told god i would put 20 bucks in the collection basket if he showed me a hog :archer:
Great job guys!! I need to get back down there.
Good job Ian. :notworthy:
Awesome job!!!!
:clapper:
:clapper:
Great job! I know your father is so proud of you guys!
Good going! :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper: :clapper:
You guys are killin' machines-congrats on a fine hunt!
Great story Ian. I am booking to go to Ray's myself. The only thing that could make it better for me, is if that was my old Browning Nomad I sold on the Internet years ago. I am going to make believe it was, maybe it will bring me luck on my trip!
Congatulations and good job. It looks like you two guys are going to have quite a lot of good bowhunting together for a long time.
Do you and Luke have any tips for an old timer like me for my trip to Ray's place.
Thanks
Gil
Fellas
Great job!!!!!!! I should have been on this thread quiker but weve been gettin ready for the state trad shoot! Great pictures too! Memories for a lifetime there fellas! Looks like the equipment worked superb!!! I'll see you fellas in a few days!
I'll get these pics posted on the website also!
john,
so were we but somehow we found time to post the whole story......
just kidding buddy thanks for the comment, and see ya at hickory!
Ian,
Don't forget to put the $20 in the collection plate... :knothead: :D :thumbsup:
Great job for you both. Congrats!
Just for that you are working my booth for an extra hour......(LOL)
Sorry John, Luke will be working the Hoots bow side :goldtooth:
Lee
I'll take his twin brother Ian then....(LOL)
Think we could get em to work all weekend so us old farts can go have fun? You could pay them with quivers !!LOL
I think these boys are high paid types....they probably would want a few hoots bows to work all weekend.....(LOL)
Way to go Luke and Ian! :clapper: :archer2: I don't know who is the lucker, you guys, or your dad?
Well. at least I now know where to find some "interesting" conversationalists (Luke and Ian) while the rest of you tired ol' guys are out shooting your nine (count 'em, 9) courses to compeat in the Ultimate Archer Class. (I'll be lucky to make it through 3 courses.) Come to think of it, it'll be a good reunion - Hickory, last year, is where I met (and shot with) Joe, Luke, and Ian - a great time. AND we can paw through and compare all the Anneewakee Addiction, and Hootsbows, while we palaver :D .
(Hickory, last year - and, "No, we didn't shoot all of the targets sitting down." :D )
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/0313/H026.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/0313/H027.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/0313/H028.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/0313/H029.jpg)
Glad to see your hog kill pic in the banner, guys. See you this weekend :D
Great pics bernie!
Thanks, John - I thought they took one of me at that tgt (with my camera) but it didn't seem to be in my file. Perhaps the "film" disintergrated when i had that (mental) relapse a couple months ago - :archer: Would have been a good one to have too because it would have been the Osage bow that I built and the twins liked so well.(The one that "died" on me - that's the trouble when you age - everything you love starts petering out on you - :p ). I bet my tough little "Blackie" Addiction won't though.